John Key has delegated responsibility and oversight of the SIS and GCSB to Attorney-General, Chris Finlayson saying,

“Mr Finlayson will operate within the framework I set and exercise ministerial oversight of the NZSIS and GCSB, including approval of warrants.”

The last person supposedly responsible for “exercising ministerial oversight of the NZSIS and GCSB” seemed to be “on holiday in Hawaii” when sensitive information was released by the SIS to a certain right wing blogger – or unaware that one of our spy agencies was illegally spying on New Zealand citizens.

It is reassuring to know that someone, at last, in this government will be “exercising ministerial oversight of the NZSIS and GCSB”

That will be a welcome change.

That will leave Mr Key with plenty of time to fulfill his role as Minister for Tourism – from a warm beach in Hawaii.